Man arrested in gang sweep gets 10 years prison for gun, drug charges

A Central Florida man arrested in a two-county gang sweep was sentenced to about 10 years in federal prison on gun and drug charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Thursday.

Brandon Denard Smith, 27, of Zellwood pleaded guilty in February to charges of possession of firearms by a convicted felon, cocaine distribution, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.

Smith was charged in September as part of "Operation Woodchop," an investigation into neighborhood street gangs in Orange and Lake counties.

About 60 people have been arrested as part of the operation.

Prosecutors said Smith sold cocaine and weapons on multiple occasions in the summer of 2010. Four of the seven firearms Smith sold were stolen, and included assault rifles.

Because he was a convicted felon, Smith was not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.